So my laptop that I've had for about 3 years stopped working, well it stopped charging. Now it cant stay on without the power being plugged in. It was an HP envy and i spent a decent amount on it. Before this I had a mac and that just seemed so prone to crash, needed battery replacements, power cable replacements etc so I decided to try a windows instead and now less then 3 years in, the battery seems fried. It doesnt have a removable battery so I cant just buy a new battery.
Do I expect too much from a laptop? How long do you expect yours to last without major issues?
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I expect them to die right around 3 years so I didn't pick a poll choice since I think 3-5 is too generous.
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My company provides our laptops and regularly replaces them every 2-3 years. Planned obsolescence is tremendously aggravating.
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My longest lasting machines have all been Apples. I had desktop Mac from 7th grade through 12th grade, and my brother still used it at home for a few more years. He used his Macbook for 5-6 years. I went through 2 PCs in 4 years in college and I went right back to Apples. I had my laptop for law school (meaning I was hard on that laptop 24/7 for 3 years nonstop) and it was still working fine at year 4 when I gave to a friend in need who kept using it for a while (she may still have it for all I know). I've had my current Macbook for almost 5 years now and DH is on his Macbook for 7 years now. I did have to replace the battery on my Macbooks every 2 years or so and we do replace the power cord every few years when they fray, but I'm fine with it.
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@gingerbebe: I had the exact reverse experience.
Lost so many precious photos, music, etc due to Apple computers over the years, until I finally gave up on the company. Lenovos have been so much more reliable.
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5 years seems to be it for any computer ime. Sad, so very sad.
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@Truth Bombs: ah ok. I fixed the poll in case more people feel the same way.
@gingerbebe: yes the power cord on macs always ends up all chewed up and exposed no matter how gentle i tried to be with it.
@PawPrints: i believe its the same policy at our job. I just assumed they were replacing them to keep up with technology rather than because there were expected to die -
@Greentea: ugh yes very. i remember growing up and having the same desk top forever.
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@PawPrints: my Lenovo was the worst! There were manufacturing issues that caused the glue around the screen to seep out and the hinges broke, the charger failed, the hard drive crashed, and it went through 2 batteries in 3 years. It still technically "works" if I keep it plugged in and set it up against a wall so the lid stays open, but it's functionally unusable. It lasted about 1.5 years in good condition but started its death spiral soon after that. My current laptop is a refurbished HP and has lasted 3 years quite nicely, though with pretty light use.
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Maybe I expect a lot. I wouldn't expect the machine itself to conk out before 5 years. I would expect the software to be outdated and for it to not support newer content, but I'd also expect the thing to still turn on and function on a basic level.
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More than 5 years, because I'm an Apple user.
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My Powerbook is still going strong, I bought it in 2007. I don't add on a ton of software though. My husband, on the other hand, adds a ton of stuff and his last on average 3 years.
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@PurplePeony: oh no I thought Lenovos were supposed to be hardcore
@kiddosc: yeah I expect 5 or more, but I am starting to readjust my thinking
@CatchAFallingStar: Do you also have to replace the battery and charger? or have you been lucky with that -
@looch: wow now thats impressive
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I voted 3-5 but I think 3 or 4 is more realistic. For PCs, I like the new Dell Ultrabooks and my boss likes the Lenovo X-1 Carbon. I actually think Dell's support is pretty good. You could consider purchasing a 3 year extended warranty.
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Right before we got married, my Dell laptop died on me. I had to buy a new one. I've had it ever since. So, it's currently just under 8 years old. It's wonky and big. My husband wants to replace it. It's not a high priority for me, so it'll happen in the future. I'd prefer jewelry instead right now.
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I'd expect it to start dying after 2 years. I've got a laptop that's functional but frustrating and it's 6 years old (it's an HP). I've considered doing a system restore but ultimately I don't use it enough to justify the hassle. I really only use it to put library books on my Kindle and make photobooks around Christmas time.
DH's MacBook Air is still going strong after five years. He has had to replace the screen and the battery, but I think that's it. He uses it for work so it's basically just email and his online gradebook.
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@macintosh: haha i just noticed your screen name.. is it out of love for apple?
@cascademom:wow thats another vote for Dell.. -
@Mrsbells: yes, lol. I prefer Macs but I work with both. I am still a believer that Apple makes premium quality hardware
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@Mrsbells: I think it is an unusual case.
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@looch: haha yeah you must have done something right!
@macintosh:
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I think they've gotten more fragile as the tech has gotten better! I have two old laptops (like 7 to 10 years old) that work great, except they're totally outdated so I can't really use them. One of them has a floppy attachment but no CD drive, it's that old.
Now we've also got a couple nice new laptops. One lasted four years before the battery had to be replaced. The other one is only three years old and the keyboard and mouse are all wonky, it's almost impossible to use. DH blames the kids, but reading these responses I wonder if they're really to blame!
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I think it depends what you use it for. Assuming you don't game or use it for processor intensive calculations, I don't think expecting it to last more than three years is unreasonable if it is a quality machine. I do use mine for really processor intensive calculations, and have had by far the best luck with a Mac. It was pricey and I might feel different about shelling out that much if it was only for occasional recreational use, but I need it for work and it has blown the high end windows machines I tried out of the water. I had a Mac maybe 13 years ago that was not great, and I swore off them for 10 years, but at least the one I have from a few years ago has been phenomenal, knock on wood.
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I also have an Apple laptop that is approaching the 10-year mark. I primarily use it as a desktop, so it is physically treated very gently. We've also got a +10 year-old iMac that's still operational.
I'd buy another Apple in a heartbeat, probably an iMac due to how I use it, but I am kind of miffed that they removed the CD/DVD drives, since I do sometimes use mine. (I know they've got external ones for sale, so I'll probably get one, but I won't be happy about it!
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I have a 10 year old MacBook that I use like a desktop. I want it to last forever....
The battery is shot (that happened probaly 2 years ago) and my cord just died so we had to replace it, but otherwise it's great for how I use it. Based on that I expect my computers to last for at least 10 years (which means I'll probably always go with mac) and wish cell phones and other technology was similar. I think 5 years for a computer with no major issues should be at least a standard.
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@honeybear: yeah many brands have gotten rid of the optical drive for cds/dvds. My hp envy doesnt have it either. I assume there is less demand for it but i still watch dvds lol
@Mama Bird: yes tech is definitely built to last for a shorter time than it used to be
@periwinklebee: good point. I don't use mine for work and i don't game either so I had hoped it would last longer or at least die slowly rather than so abruptly -
I've never had a PC last more than 2-3 years so 3 would be the max for a PC I'd expect. My MacBooks last much longer. We finally gave up on the first one after 8 years. My current one is in perfect condition (knock wood) after 5.5 years.
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Hmm maybe I'm unrealistic because I said more than five years!
I had an HP pavilion from 2007-2010- it technically still worked but not well and I needed something that worked better.
In 2012 I bought a Mac and it's still doing great! I love it so much and expect it to last another couple years. -
My Sony laptop from college days lasted 4 years
Then I got something else that lasted another 4 years I think
Then my macbook is on year 5 now? But it's pretty slow and I really only use it for internet..
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@Mrsbells: something similar happened to my last hp pretty fast! I had it stashed somewhere and was just using iPads and cell phone, but my dad just took it for some car related thing and ordered a replacement battery, and says supposedly it's working great!
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@gingerbebe: yep! We have a MacBook Pro going on 9 years old. It looks like crap but damn, if it doesn't do it's job semi decently. We brought it back to life with new power cords twice!
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@looch: ours is from when DH graduated college! It's old too but we still can use it for internet/shows, some light editing for me!
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We always ruin them within two years. We have a desktop in our bedroom now. Next go around I'll be hoping for at least 2-3 years, but I want to wait til ds won't put it on the ground and stand on it.
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Two thoughts
One most insurance plans for them only cover three years.
Two, beware that some companies like dell have a consumer line and a professional line. So people may love their work dell but the consumer version doesn't hold up so well.
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I didn't answer the poll because my answer is three years. None of the options seemed to really reflect that.
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I voted 3-5. I expect a mac to last 5 years and a PC to last 3 with regular use.
I ruined my first mac spilling water on it but the second one I had for 5-6 years. The screen did die on me eventually. I got my macbook air 2 years ago and it still seems brand new. Now that I have an ipad I barely use it so I expect it to last at least 5 more years.
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I've had my Mac Powerbook since 2010. Before that i had the Mac ibook from 2004. I only upgraded because i wanted something lighter.
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3 for a PC, 5 for a Mac.
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@T.H.O.U.: Oh yes. I got consumer level HPs and Dells and they never lasted more than 2 years (I'm a designer/developer, so I'm hard on computers), my last one, I got a business level Dell Vostro and it has lasted 7 years. Granted, the software and security packs are out of date, but it still runs Photoshop just fine!
As a general rule, I don't expect anything to be problem-free after the max warranty available from the manufacturer. Batteries especially have short lifespans compared to other components due to heat damage and limited recharges.
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I have an Apple desktop, from 2010 and it is dead, hasn't worked for a year and was only good for 5 years. I hate the waste of these computers, made to be disposable essentially, and mine had light use!
Lost so many precious photos, music, etc due to Apple computers over the years, until I finally gave up on the company. Lenovos have been so much more reliable.
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